Unlisted leaf
by Remiel1437
Summary: Have you ever wonder what will happen if Chiyo does not end up with Nozaki? How can she pass her days without him? This story happens in the other side of the universe where Nozaki is not there for Chiyo
1. Chapter 1

A loud shout came from a train that passed through. A normal day at Sakigatani Station. Today though, the weather is not so friendly as it used to be. The rain has been pouring down since what felt like an eternity. To make it worse, the air around the station pledged by a seemingly year worth of humidity.

Lots of people were waiting inside the station. Waiting for the rain to go away so they can enjoy their own little sanctuary after a tiring day of working or studying. This thought also what dwells inside a certain woman's mind. This woman looks very tiny for her age. 27 is definitely an age when you should fully grown and she certainly does not. Brushing her brown long hair that she let loose, Sakura Chiyo sighed before she once again looks at the sky.

Yes, Sakura Chiyo is her name. Chiyo has a dream, love, and hope. However, it seems that being an adult does not suits her very well. Chiyo works as an accountant at a company in Fukuoka, burying her long lost dream within it. It was not that she have not tried it before. In fact, she desperately tried for it.

Chiyo once dreamt to be a mangaka. She even took a week to decide her pen name as she carefully choose it with care and excitement. Life was not that kind though. Her script has been tossed from one publisher to another. Not enough skill at drawing, the story was too shallow, no power in the characterization, she swallowed all critics. In fact, she has been tossed too much she often think "What will Nozaki do at times like this?"

For Nozaki. Well, who is this Nozaki Chiyo been thinking about in her downfall? For Chiyo, Nozaki was her love and hope. This tall guy has been Chiyo's crush since high school. However, like any other unfortunete high school girl, Chiyo cannot convey her feelings properly. Nozaki's airhead manner did not help either. High school ended without any feelings reached between both.

"For my ideal man, He has to be a tall person with black hair and sharp eyes. If any of that criteria not fulfilled, I have no interest at all." A phrase that often make her laugh sadly everytime she remembers. After high school, they promised that they will keep in touch. However, after Nozaki got his own assistant, Chiyo has no reason to crash into his apartement.

The relation gone really slow with Chiyo who at the time was too shy to make a contact and Nozaki that never been so busy in his life. Interaction between them became more and more distant. From days, to months, to years. Long story short, they lost contact entirely.

You see, working as a accountant is not a pleasant job for Chiyo. As mature as she can be, she hated math ever since she can remember. Dealing with something that you hate everyday in a tons load of amount is not really enjoyable.

Being an accountant also has a down side in social relation especially in Chiyo's company. Her company seems to have little to less budget for everything. She has to hold all of papers she had from workers and approve it in the last second before the deadline, waiting a really slow fund flow from the central office at Tokyo. The cause of this issue is plenty. She looked as a person who "likes to see people suffer because of waiting." She cannot really tell the truth and thus here she is, has no friends even at the point where she has to eat her luch alone everyday.

Time passed before you know when you are daydreaming. She does not realize that the rain has long stopped. Dragging her tired feet, she walks slowly towards her apartement. This six-mats sized apartement is where she spent countless nights cying herself to sleep, waiting for a miracle that she quite sure will never come.


	2. Chapter 2

The sun gloriously shine, blessing the earth with warmth. Chirping bird voice happily welcoming the beautiful morning. However for some people, it is an alarm. An alarm that reminds them that a hellish routinity will rewind itself. Chiyo is unfortunately one of those souls. She sits at her bed while staring at a blank space in front of her.

...

"There she is!"

"The sadist accountant, right?"

Whispers. Whispers whispers whispers. Chiyo used to it already. During her days, everybody whispers to each other about her and none of those whispers are friendly. Keeping her head high, she walks past her "admirer," straight to her desk.

Plugging her ears with earphone, Chiyo scraps her chores for today. One note at the edge of her computer's monitor stops her fast paced pencil movement. She supposed to see a client this afternoon.

Packed her handbag, the brown haired woman escapes from the building and heads to a cafe nearby. Meeting a client is usually a good thing. While time needed to sign a few paperwork is not much, time given to finish it usually a lot.

"Maybe I will take a walk after this." Chiyo thinks happily.

When Chiyo arrived, she can see that the reserved seat already filled. There is a man occupied the spot. He has a tall figure with broad shoulder. His dark colored hair looks quite messy from behind. The guy is twiddling his thumb, looks bored of waiting.

Chiyo quickly fits herself in the seat in front of the guy.

"I'm sorry. Am I late?" Chiyo apologizes briefly.

"Ah no, I also just arrived." The man waves his right hand.

"Nice to meet you Mr.." Chiyo looks at the client's face for the first time.

This guy. He has white skin and a quite sharp eye. His face looks young and handsome. Those eyes though, looks very familiar. It seems that Chiyo known those eyes for years.

"Ow, I'm sorry. Haven't introduce myself. Here is my card."

Chiyo's heart jumps when she looks at his business card.

...

"How have you been doing these past years? How is life? I miss you so much you know." Chiyo almost hugs him in excitement.

"Pppardon? I'm sorry?" The man took quick gesture as his reflex kicks in.

"It's me. You don't recognize me? It's Sakura Chiyo!" Chiyo points at her face. Excited as she finally found a familiar name in this foreign world of her.

"Cchiyo senpai?" The lad surprised as he drops a few more business cards from his hand. "Hirotaka Wakamatsu" written in each of those.

...

The afternoon turns out to be fun. Chiyo and Wakamatsu spend their time chatting and laughing about the past. So many happy things happened back then, enchant Chiyo to visit it countless times without any hint of exhaustion.

"And then, you remember when he said "Chiyo, please reject them, my mouth move on its own." I still laugh everytime I remember that." Wakamatsu laughs followed by Chiyo.

"But yeah, the past is fascinating isn't it? Makes you want to stay in thoughts forever." Chiyo look towards the sky, wondering about everything.

"Senpai." Wakamatsu initiates a new conversation.

"Yes?" Chiyo smiles to her long lost friend.

"I have a plan to visit Seo-senpai after this. Do you have some time? Is it okay if you tag along? I might need some help you know?" Wakamatsu smiles.

"Ah, sure."

For Chiyo, college has been a hard time. She has friends but no one really close to her. At the time, Seo never fails to aid her. She might be a little bit savage sometimes but Chiyo knew that Seo loves her so much. Lorelei was no longer only has an angelic voice to Chiyo at those time, she was also an angel that can comfort Chiyo without Nozaki beside her.

Due to her sweet voice they had to part. Seo has been scouted by an Italian opera house. She eventually left Chiyo and everything she had in Japan, off to Italy. Chiyo kept in touch with her just n-

"Hello Seo-senpai!" Wakamatsu's voice wakes Chiyo from her daydream. They arrived it seems.

They were staring to a beatifully carved Tombstone. "Yuzuki Seo" written on it. Yes, Chiyo's angel soared all the way to heaven.

"Seo, how are you? It's fine down here." Tear escapes her eyes as Chiyo speaks to Seo's photograph.

Seo went to Italy and shortly became a star there. She was called by her old nickname there, "Loreley." Her career went smoothly but being a blazing superstar also has its own downside. She was killed by an obsessive fans one night. The killer was caught one hour after the accident with Seo's heart in his hands.

Wakamatsu kneel over the grave and cries a painful cry. Chiyo tries to comfort him, hugs him by his shoulder.

"I'm sorry senpai. I want you to know that I am happy now but till this day... I can only cry when I get here."

"It's fine Wakamatsu. It's not your fault." Chiyo tries to convince him in tears.

"But..."

Wakamatsu always blame himself for Seo's death.

If only he could properly convey his feelings instead of brush her off every time.

If only she knew that he loves her, she might stay.

If he was her boyfriend, he might tag along with her to Italy and protect her.

If only he realize that his life without Seo will be this painful back then.

If only he can hear her voice once more, calling him by her given nickname.

If only... If only...

...

"Senpai, you should be grateful you know." Wakamatsu speaks suddenly after a long silence in a calm voice.

"Yes?" Chiyo surprised by the sudden statement.

"I mean you tell me that your job is nothing but hell and you have depression,but you still have Nozaki-senpai right?" Wakamatsu looks at Chiyo through his glassy eyes.

"I don't think that your life is easy or such but I will go through any kind of hell voluntarily if I can see Seo-senpai's smile and hear her voice again."

Chiyo suddenly feels a mixed feeling. She is now in the edge of tears as she is very sad remembering Nozaki and her stupidity but also embarrassed. What a drama queen she was, thinking that she was the most miserable person on earth while she actually still has something to fight for.

Memory of the scene where Nozaki picked her up at the first day of school suddenly flashes in her head. That very moment she realized the feeling that she denied for too long. She still loves Nozaki at the bottom of her heart.

"Search for him before it's too late okay?" Wakamatsu, patting Chiyo's head, smiles when he realized that Chiyo's red face flooded with tears.


	3. Chapter 3

"Post delivery!" The postman shouts for the third time, tries to attract whoever lives inside the room.

After a few last knocks, he can finally sure that there is no one inside. He slowly looks into his bag and after a few seconds of searching, the postman finally found what he has been looking for. Three letters for bill, all has "Sakura Chiyo" as its recipient. Slid those papers into a small opening on the door and he is done. It's dark outside and the middle-aged man is very eager to get home in time.

The apartement seems dark from outside. No light whatsoever comes from the room. It's quite normal if it looks gloomy cause the only source of light inside is a small laptop. That blue colored machine has not rest even a single bit for two days straight. Right in front of the light box, a woman is sitting. She is wearing a pink one piece and let her hair loose. Her eyes look tired with black circles under it. That's right. She is our main heroine, Sakura Chiyo.

Chiyo is staring at the ceiling with her back resting on the armchair. She has been looking at the same spot for quite some time. It's not that she doesn't have anything to do, it's actually pretty much the vice versa. The laptop is displaying a blog post with "Disappearance" as its headline. God knows how many blog pages and forums Chiyo tried to surf but they always end up giving one same answer. Sakiko Yumeno is missing and nobody knows where he is right now.

Lack of sleep finally take its toll on Chiyo and it's a count of minutes before she finally gave up to the temptation. Chiyo closes her eyes and welcomes the beautiful deep dark world that already miss her for too long.

The dire circumtance started two days ago after Chiyo finally got her permit from the company. The permit took a solid month to be approved. It was actually quite normal because Chiyo took permission for all of her break past one year straight. Before she started her little adventure, there were actually many things that hesitates her. What will she do if she found Nozaki? What if Nozaki has a girlfriend already? What if I don't have any chance? Am I really want to meet him again? Countless of doubt swirled in her head and almost made her stop her research before it even started.

However, she was not alone anymore. She has Wakamatsu that she can talk to. The short visit to Seo's grave proceed to contact exchange and now, everytime Chiyo hesitates, she has a person that she can talk to.

"It's fine Chiyo-senpai, you don't have to be afraid. Even if you meet an unpleasant result at the end, at least you tried for it."

Those words of Wakamatsu helped Chiyo to get those letters she was holding on her hands. As she stared at the paper, she knew that there was no turning back. How hard it can be right? She was searching for a well known guy. It has to be easy, right? Chiyo, with a smile on her face, delightfully started her adventure at the book store. After she purchased a copy of monthly edition manga where "Koi shiyou" used to be published in, she went home in a hurry. Little that she knew that only disappointment awaited her.

Chiyo scanned every single page with her eyes and there was none. No "Sakiko Yumeno" ever mentioned in every page, every word. Positive mind was still there however, Chiyo assumed that maybe Sakiko Yumeno changed publisher and can be easily found in the Internet. She flipped open her laptop that was rarely used and started the research. This will surely be a piece of cake.

All of those things brought us here. Our Sakura Chiyo that was sleeping. Her sleeping face is not calm as she used to. Her face expresses anxiety. Chiyo felt a Déjà vu that she can still remember clearly as day. When Seo pass away, Chiyo also don't know about it directly. She was way behind. It was the second month after her friend's funeral that she tried to surf the internet and found an article about the diva's death.

* * *

"It's fine, Chiyo senpai. There are no news about his death right? There has to be an explanation."

"Thank you as always, Wakamatsu." Chiyo closes her eyes as warmth starts to fill he body up.

"Have you eat yet?"

"Yes, Wakamatsu. I've ate a lot."

"Do you need me to come there?" Said a concerning voice at the end of the line.

"It's fine. You're working anyway, right? Thank you for always be there for me." Chiyo relieves herself.

"If there are things you need, I'm just a phone call away. Please keep that in mind."

"Yes, Wakamatsu. I'm not you daughter you know?" Chiyo giggles following weird tone that her friend uses.

"Okay then, take care." Wakamatsu closes the conversation.

"Likewise."

Wakamatsu puts the phone down. His heart is still beating from the short conversation. He stares at his hand. Wakamatsu still cannot forget what was happening in the graveyard. How Chiyo embrased him gently. How she hold his hands and pat his head like no other can do. How she cried with him. Chiyo is very frail and careless in her life but even with all of her anxiety, she still save some time to worry about the others.

"Just like Seo-senpai." He mumbles to himself.

His cheeks start to go red and with a swift movement of realization, Wakamatsu covers his mouth. He don't want to make the same mistake like what he done to Seo. He wants to protect Chiyo with all his might and make sure that her life is happy. He always wants to stay beside her.

"Has I fallen for Sakura Chiyo?" Wakamatsu massages his forehead gently, hoping that it will reduce the pain a bit.


	4. Chapter 4

Chiyo finally arrives at her destination. She runs out of breath as she sprints from the station. Sweat drenches her forehead but she doesn't give even a single dime. She has one goal in her mind. She wants to meet that person. A two story house painted white with a small yard at the back stands solid in front of her. It has blue roof top that covers it from sunshine and a small red mail box near the gate. A small black car parks neatly behind the short gate and a cat sleeps lazily at the terrace. Walking slowly, the brown haired woman creeps closer to the door. Her heart is pounding like a maniac that stalks its prey as she raises her hand towards the intercom.

"This button." She analyzes the white gadget a bit just to make sure.

That blue button. That very button that separates her from something that she put a mind for so long. The blue button looks rather... scary for some reason. Chiyo puts a finger on the button. Her hand shakes violently as if there will be a huge bear that will eat her alive once she pushes the button. Silence. Her power vanishes completely. At this current state, she cannot maintain her index finger at the button, leave alone to press it. Even her clothes get heavier and heavier every second. The little woman's feet is now a jelly. To stand up is a struggle. She lost the fight againts the intercom.

"Maybe someday we will meet by accident. Who knows?" Chiyo said the line in a grim fashion.

Still trembling, she turns away. Away from the house, her eyes glued to the ground. Her steps are heavy but it's the only thing that keeps her alive.

"I have to get away from the house as fast as I can." Her mind persuades her, a survival instinct that kicks in hard.

The white house is killing her. Every steps is an additional sword that stabs her heart. However, she likes it this way than the other option. Standing in front of the devil's fort is something she doesn't want to even describe.

One yard away. Her chest tightens. Is it normal to feel this much physical pain because of mental state?

Two yards. Will I regret it? Maybe.

Three. Chiyo frozes in place. With one quick gesture, she turns her back once more and covers all the distance she traveled in the past few minutes.

"This time for sure!" She screams inside her head.

A push to the button produces a beep. After a few seconds of waiting game, it produces another sound.

"Hello, who is there?" A male voice answered the door bell.

Chiyo nailed to the ground. After everything she sacrificed she can finally hear that voice. A deep and calm voice that she always dream of. The voice that she wish to hear once more in every night. Chiyo cannot answer it. It's too sudden. It will always be too sudden.

"Anyone there?" The man once again asks in a confuse tone.

Chiyo jumps at the second question and directly answers it.

"Yes, yes there is!" She says half screaming.

There is a bit of pause for several seconds.

"Sakura?" The voice finally resumes the conversation. "Wait over there!"

A loud noise of footsteps spout from the house.

"He is coming." Chiyo thinks to herself.

A few minutes of waiting and there are none. The footsteps from inside the house is still as loud as day but no one comes out from the house.

"Weird." Chiyo thinks to herself.

She then realizes a stinging pain in her head. It has to be her migraine. It has been several day that her sleep habit became a disaster. The footsteps slowly synchronizes the pounding in her head and after a few minutes, there are no more footsteps. Only beatings in her head. Chiyo then open her eyes. It is all dark. Her head wakes her from the slumber and reality welcomes her with a punch in the face.

It has been a week since Chiyo starts her expedition to find her "lost treasure." One week of absolute failure though. Remember when she said that she cannot find anything about the talented mangaka Sakiko Yumeno? Chiyo wipes the internet's archaic archive from two years ago and Sakiko Yumeno was still there. It's not even just existing, Nozaki was a hot topic back in those days. Reading them for days, Chiyo finally know the certain cause why no one ever talk about him again nowadays.

"I apologize to all my readers for this sudden news but I have to. I will take a rest from making manga for a while and thus, Koi shiyou will be held on a certain period. Thank you for you continuous support! Sakiko Yumeno."

That short notice written in the last page of "Koi shiyou" that printed two years ago. Mamiko and Suzuki never come back since. The talended "Yumeno-sensei" that caught a lot of teenage girl's heart drowned into oblivion. All letters, all e-mails, and all attempts to contact him done by the fans are lost in vain.

Chiyo glances at her digital table clock and 08.00 displayed in the mechanical screen.

"It's still morning. How long have I slept?" Chiyo yawns as she tries to gather all of her souls in the will to get up.

Her head still hurts a lot. Those missing sleep hours finally take its toll. Closing her eyes once more, she puts her head on a pillow. Her aspirins are far at the corner of the room. It's impossible to move up and take it with this kind of mentality. Chiyo wanders in the dark world. If she remembers correctly, that kind of dream appears lots of times.

As her head keeps aching, the brown haired woman once again feel the feeling that woke her up. Footstep, Pound, Footstep, Pound, Door bell, Pound, Doorbell, Doorbell. Door bell?

"Chiyo senpai, are you there?" A familiar voice strikes in.

* * *

Ps: Hello readers.

I'm aware that some people follow this story and I'm sorry in the fact that it takes about 6 months for an update.

I barely had access to this website because my work and other problems.

Thank you for the patience and please, enjoy the story.


End file.
